Rise of an Original
by Aerilon452
Summary: Belle is severely wounded, leaving Rumple with no choice but to preform a drastic spell to save her life, but it changes her forever.
1. Chapter 1

Summary**:** Belle is wounded leaving Rumple to do something drastic.

Disclaimer: I own nothing of Once Upon A Time or The Vampire Diaries

Rating: T+

Pairing: Belle and Rumplestiltskin

A/N: This is a crazy idea that I came up with that mixes in elements of The Vampire Diaries. I promise it is all OUAT. No characters from TVD will appear, just a few mentions, but only the Original family.

**RISE OF AN ORIGINAL: **

Belle was in the library counting down the seconds until she was to meet Rumple at Granny's for dinner. They were finally back together, being a semi-normal couple, and he was taking her out on a date. A few times she had to stop shelving book, take a deep breath, and look at the mess she was making. In the state of excitement she was in, she couldn't alphabetize to save her life. It was time she topped trying, Belle was just too excited for tonight. She had just set the stack of books aside when an odd rattling sound caught her attention. Belle turned, but saw no one. Then she heard it again, only this time it was a hissing sound, the kind of hiss that only came from one thing; a snake. Belle's heart froze. She hated snakes with a passion. As quietly as she could, she moved away, or at least she hoped she was moving away, from the hissing sound. The moment she as out of the Library she would run straight for Rumple's shop. She had to get to him, but first she had to make it out. Belle moved silently through the shelves with the front doors in sight. Her heart thundered in her chest spurring her to run, to make a break for it, but she had to reign herself in, had to control the impulse to run. Sudden movements were the worst possible choice for her. Forcing calm to radiate through her Belle took that first fateful step towards the doors immerging from the book stacks. The moment she immerged, Belle was struck behind her knees sending her sprawling to the floor, her head connecting with the tiled floor. Before she could recover fangs sank into her left thigh with a burning sensation quickly spreading up her body. Belle screamed in pure agony like she had never done before.

Rumple was going to surprise Belle by meeting her in her hallowed Library, the place she went to escape from the world for a little while. He had given her the Library as a parting gift, one of his many attempts to let her go, to let her live her life without him, but she surprised him by staying with him. She was fighting for him. Belle was a wonder, his treasure, and he was never going to let her go again. As he walked down the sidewalk he had a little smile on his face now that things had settled down in the little fairy tale hamlet hidden from the outside world. Hook was still here, but out of his hair. Bae was getting to know Henry and was trying to mend the 300 year old rift between them, and his son was getting to know Belle. That, more than anything, warmed his wounded heart; his son and is true love were forging a connection and Belle being who she was, was convincing Bae that he was not the man everyone knew and hated. Rumplestiltskin couldn't be happier. Even Regina seemed content to stay out of trouble and reigned in her need to destroy anyone's happiness. Though, he wasn't sure how long that would last. She was the monster he made her to be. He shook his head with a chuckle, and just as his hand reached out to open the door he heard a blood cuddling scream that made him turn cold. "Belle!" He shouted using magic to fling the doors open. Going in he saw her on the floor, blood pooling around her leg, and Belle lying very still on the tiled floor. Without caring for his safety he went to her and went right to work on assessing her injuries. Her left thigh had two deep puncture wounds from a large snake bite. Even though he knew Belle hated magic, he used his powers to take them from the library to their home.

Belle like she was on fire when she opened her eyes. She wasn't in the library. She was home. She was in her bed with Rumple by her side. He had tears in his eyes. "What happened?" Belle asked her mouth dry. The last thing she remembered was intense pain and then burning. She felt like she was burning alive. "What…" Trying to move was difficult. She could barely turn her head to see the man she loved. "Tell me…" Her voice was barely above a whisper. In a moment she might pass out or burst into flames, Belle wasn't sure which would happen. The only thing she knew was that she didn't want to die. She wanted to have her happily ever after with Rumple. She wanted to be with him, not to die.

The moment Rumple had returned them home, he immediately had tried to help her, to heal her, but his magic hadn't halted the spread of the poison. The best he had been able to do was tie the tourniquet to slow the bleeding on her leg, but the venom was still spreading getting closer and closer to her heart. "Belle, I'm going to have to do something extreme to slow the progression of the poison." She focused on him, but he wasn't sure if she could comprehend what he was saying. Her brow was bathed in sweat. "Sweetheart, you have to look at me. " Belle turned her head slowly and he continued to explain, "The poison moving from the bite is making its way to your heart, I can slow it down, but I can't heal you with just my magic." The next words out of his mouth were going to kill him. "If I take your heart, the poison will slow down, allowing me time to concoct a spell to save you." Though, he already knew what spell he had to use. IT would be the only one that would work.

"Do…" Belle licked her dry lips trying to speak. "What…" Her chest felt light a weight had settled there barely giving her the ability to breathe. "You have to…" She saw the pain in his eyes, the loathing for having to do this when there was no other way at the moment. Belle wasn't going to blame him. He was doing what he had to until he could find a way to save her life. With hat strength she had she nodded her head giving her consent. Belle watched his hand hover over her heart, the hesitation in him. She tried to lift her hand, to cover his, to show him she wasn't angry, but she could barely move. All she could do was watch him. Then she felt the tips of his fingers, the magic radiating out from him, as he reached inside her, and pulled her heart from her chest. This time, Belle had more than enough air to scream.

Rumple felt time freeze as he took Belle's heart from her chest. It was perfect, beat strongly in the palm of his hand, and had no black marks from the darkness he had introduced into her life. He conjured a magically charged wooden box, the kind Cora used, and set her heart inside for safe keeping until he could find a way to cure her. Setting the box on the nightstand Rumple conjured a preservation spell to keep Belle alive longer and to help aide in slowing the poison. Gently he kissed her forehead before pulling back from her, leaving the bed, and using his powers to go and see the one person that he truly didn't want to see. Rumplestiltskin was off to see the Evil Queen. She had a few ingredients that he would need if he was going to save Belle.

In her immaculately decorated home, Regina stood in her son's open bedroom doorway watching Henry sleep. He had been through so much in just a few days, and all of it had taken its toll on him. She had used magic to induce sleep knowing that when he woke he would be well rested and back to his old self. At least that was her hope for him. She smiled a small smile feeling as if her life had gone back in time to the moments where she would stand in this exact spot and watch him sleep in nights gone by. Then she felt the stirring of magic behind her. Regina turned; a magical fire conjured in the palm of her hand, only to see Rumplestiltskin. He wasn't his normal imposing self with an antagonistic smile on his lips, and glint of wickedness in his eye. The man that stood before her had blood stains on his suit, on his hands, a haunted look in his eyes. If she chose, she could force a confrontation, but Henry was asleep just feet away from them. Best to feign civility, "What happened?" she asked gently.

Rumple looked at her and said the words he about choked on, "I need your help." He looked down at his blood soaked hands almost feeling his stomach roil. "Something attacked Belle in the Library." Rumple explained fighting back the need he had to vomit. "You have a few things I need to save her." He balled his hands into fists at his side and clenched his jaw. The Dark One had taken many hearts in the past, but to feel the beating of Belle's heart in the palm of his hand had really done a number on him. It was perfect, unmarred by evil, and he had held it in his hands. "I didn't see what it was, but if I had to hazard a guess, I would say a snake from the bite wound."

"So, why don't you heal her?" Regina asked, trying to keep her voice from taking on her usual tone of annoyance. Rumple looked at her telling her that she hadn't managed it as well as she had wanted to. For now there was a truce, tenuous, but a truce none the less between her, the Charming's, Emma, and Rumplestiltskin. It was all for the sake of Henry. "Or can't you heal her?" Regina asked stepping from the open door.

"It's beyond my magic to heal." Rumple admitted. "Whatever bit her is ancient, something that has not been seen in a long time." He said retrieving a list of supplies he would need, and knowing full well that Regina had most of them ingredients. If he a careful, then he would be able to tie Belle's life to his, give her enough of his immortality to heal her. He tried not to think of the consequences that were attached to such a dangerous spell. All he wanted was Belle alive, safe, and with him.

Regina took the parchment looking over the list, "A moonstone?" She asked unaware that he knew she possessed it. "How did you know I had it?" Rumple offered up a droll stare as his reply. She just rolled her eyes in response continuing on down the list of things he needed. "Ok, most of this I have while I assume, you have the rest?" Regina asked and Rumple nodded. "Then, I'll get what you need and meet you…"

"At my house." Rumple said trying not to stare at the blood. He wasn't about to thank her, not when it wouldn't be sincere. Perhaps, when Belle was healed, he would offer gratitude, but not now. Without another word, he used his powers to take him from the Queen's house back to his. He appeared in the bedroom where Belle was still on the bed, still as death. For a minute, it's all he would allow himself, he crumbled to his knees he allowed his doubt, his grief to take him.

Down in his work room Rumple hissed as he inserted a need in his arm. For the spell he was about to do, he needed his blood. Slowly he drew the plunger back filling the tube with his magically infused blood. He wasn't a scientist, he didn't care how his blood worked, but magic was something he knew. Rumple could harness the power of his immortality and craft it into spell that would heal Belle. He looked at the parchment he had found tucked in the back of one of his various books. It told him how to make the potion that would link him and Belle, allowing her to use his powers to heal herself should she ever be injured again.

Regina appeared outside of Gold's house, and instead of going inside, she walked around to the back yard where he had a workshop. Going down the steps she opened the door to see him with his head in his hands. "I have the rest of what you need." She said announcing herself. He didn't turn to her, he just motioned her closer. This pace reminded her of one of the rooms in the Dark Castle where he often taught her; wall to wall shelves holding various ingredients for many potions. Reluctantly, Regina set the palm sized moonstone down by Rumple's elbow and waited. She wondered if there was anything else he needed from her. At the end of the work bench was another stool. Regina went to it and sat down waiting for Rumplestiltskin to acknowledge her.

Gold took the rest of the ingredients that Regina had provided and finished the potion. With each new piece the potion changed from a crimson due to his blood, to a white because of the ground up bark from a white oak tree, then to gold from the essence of the sun, and then back to black, finally turning to an iridescent purple. Then, for the last piece, he took the moonstone using his magic to grind it into dust where he added a small amount to the potion turning the color a pearl color. "It's finished." He mumbled taking the syringe in his hand once more. Rumple stuck the needle in the small bowl he used to mix everything, and filled the tube. Then, to his right, the box with Belle's heart rested. It was now or never.

Regina watched Gold fill the syringe with the potion. Then she saw the box with a heart carved on it. She knew what that box held and instantly she felt a small wave of empathy for him, for what he had done; the extremes he had gone to for Belle. She had done the same for Daniel. Regina tried not to wince when Gold inserted the tip of the needle in to the still beating heart, waiting for the potion to take effect. To distract herself she snuck a peek at the parchment he had cooked the potion from, seeing a bit of fine print that had faded over time. Regina used magic to read the words and saw the last ingredient to the binding spell. Death. Did the all-powerful Dark One have it in him to kill the woman he loved?

Upstairs, Gold re-entered his bedroom with Regina following him. He hadn't even bothered to tell her to leave, he may need her help to enact the last part of the spell as he knew he could not. Going to sit be Belle, Rumple removed the preservation spell, and took a deep breath for what he had to do next. All along her body veins of green appeared, letting him know the progression of the poison. It had already reached her heart, but he had removed it, and now with the potion infused into it, he was ready to replace it. Taking a deep breath, Rumple removed her heart from the box and placed it over where it belonged. Another deep breath to calm his nerves, and Rumple called on his magic to allow him to replace Belle's heart. It glowed orange and disappeared back into her chest. He waited a few minutes and then felt the tightness in his chest ease as the veins of green receded.

Belle felt strange, not really out of her body, but sort of floating. She knew she had no heart because Rumple had taken it in an attempt to halt the progress of the poison flowing through her. Then, a strange sensation overcame her. He was beside her again; she could feel her heart being replaced. Slowly her heart started to beat and with it the tingling sensation of magic being carried through her body healing her. Belle opened her eyes taking a deep breath. The heat was gone; she licked her lips feeling better than ever. She looked at Rumple with a tentative smile gracing her face, but it flicked to Regina. "Rumple…"

"It's ok, Regina helped me." Gold explained getting Belle to focus on him. He couldn't go through with had to happen next. He knew he couldn't do it. "She's helping me." Rumple said again feeling his insides shaking. Death was the next phase, and it was a phase he could not complete. He took her face in his hands and kissed her forehead, "I love you." Then he backed away from her.

"Rumple, I don't understand." Belle had this terrible knot in the pit of her stomach seeing Regina standing at the foot of the bed. "What exactly did you do?" She asked, her voice shaking with fear of what was to come. "Rumple, please, tell me what you did." Belle sat up feeling her strength returning. She got out of bed and went to him, placing her hand on his back. "Tell me." His body had gone rigid. He was ashamed of the magic he had used on her when he knew she had wanted him to give it up, to be a better man who didn't need to rely on the crutch. Belle now understood that he could never be without magic; it was in his very being. It was keeping him alive.

"I infused your heart with a spell." Rumple wouldn't turn to her, wouldn't see the hate and revulsion in her eyes that he knew had to be there. "It was made from my very own immortal blood and a few other things. It's a binding spell." This time, he looked at her over his shoulder. She had a look in her eyes, but it wasn't one of revulsion. Turning to her, Rumple continued speaking. "I linked your life to me. If you're hurt, you'll be able to draw on my magic to heal yourself." Not caring that Regina was there, he cupped her face and said, "It's the only thing I could do to save you." Then he cast his gaze to the Evil Queen. For the first time since he made her the feared Evil Queen, he saw true remorse in Regina's gaze for what she was about to do. "Regina's here to do what I can't, what I won't do." He left it at that.

Belle had the right to be afraid, and she was. She knew what Rumple refused to do when it came to her. The knot in the pit of her stomach tightened as she turned from him and faced Regina. Belle always knew that her death would come at the hands of the Queen, but she hadn't realized that it would be this soon. "Will this permanently link my life to yours?" She asked without looking at Rumplestiltskin. Belle had this feeling that he wasn't telling her everything.

"Yes," Rumple answered quietly. "The magic in your heart is only keeping the poison at bay. Once you die and wake linked to me, you won't have to suffer injuries again." He was careful to keep quiet about the consequences, about what could happen to Belle the moment she woke to her new life. Rumple had traded good magic for this spell, not sure on why he had been compelled to acquire it, but he had. The witch he had traded with had used the same spell on her family, but she had come to regret it. When he had tracked her down in a new land, he had seen what her children had done, and now Rumple hoped Belle would not suffer the same.

"And if I don't die?" Belle asked, she had to know what would happen if she didn't. This time she turned to Rumple. "What happens to me then?"

"Twenty-four hours from now, you'll be right back where you were when I found you; dying for real." Rumple answered. "And next time I won't be able to save you."

"Ok," Belle breathed out roughly. She didn't want to see it coming.

Regina looked at Rumplestiltskin for confirmation. The Imp closed his eyes giving her the split second to act. Using her magic, Regina motioned, and with a flick of her wrist Belle's neck broke sending the beauty to the floor in a heap. The breaking of bones, of tendons, and muscles, echoed around the room made Regina feel as if she would be ill. Never had she felt like before when she killed someone. She watched as the big bad Dark One sat on the floor, pulling Belle close. "I'll leave you alone." She muttered and vanished.

Rumple held Belle close rocking back and forth as his silent tears fell to her cheeks. He had to believe that the spell would bring her back, that she would come back to him. "Oh Belle, I'm sorry." He kissed the top of her head over and over. His eyes darted to the window watching the setting sun. Rumple felt numb, a deep coldness settling inside of him. "Come on. Come on." He canted over and over willing the magic inside of Belle to finish healing her, to bring her back to life. The sky turned red closely followed by the purple, and then the black of night. Rumple knew he had to wait, he had to let the spell take effect, but this was Belle.

Being stuck between life and death was not something that happened to everyone. Belle was shouting, she was screaming, and yelling for Rumple to hear her. He couldn't see her. She looked towards the window to see the setting of the sun and a curious feeling fell over her. Something was pulling her back into her body. Belle felt feeling return to his limbs with a sense of renewed strength. She opened her eyes, a rush of air filling her lungs burned, and her eyes couldn't focus. There was too much to see. Belle moved from Rumple's arms, her hands going to her throat, and the first words out of her mouth were, "That hurt." Then she coughed feeling as if she had a desert in her mouth. She was so thirsty.

The numbness rolling through him stopped the moment Belle breathed in air, the moment she moved from his arms, and the moment he heard her voice, but he had to know. "How do you feel?" Rumple hoped that she didn't possess a ravenous hunger that the witch Esther's children had woken to during the transition. She looked at him and what he saw made his heart sink. Under her eyes were a spider web of veins, the whites of her eyes had gone blood red letting her blue eyes stand out drastically, and he could see fangs. She was going to need human blood to survive the transition.

"I'm so hungry," Belle breathed out rubbing at her throat. "Why am I starving?" She was confused. When she woke up she felt good, she felt powerful, but now her body ached and her throat was so dry. She licked her lips trying to wet them, but her mouth felt so dry. Her eyes fixed on the pulsing vein in the side of her neck; immediately she knew what she wanted. Belle should have been repulsed by her hunger. She licked her lips again.

"We'll get you something to eat," Rumple stood up and offered his hand to Belle. She took his hand allowing him to pull her from the floor. "At least we have the cover of night in which to aide in you final transition." Belle now stood before him as a fierce predator. He wondered how much this would change her, if at all. Rumple wanted to lament the turn of events, but he couldn't have it both way. Belle was alive and she was now as invincible as he was.

"Did you know this would happen?" Belle asked him feeling her teeth go back to normal, as well as her eyes. The hunger inside of her had curbed somewhat, but it was still there, still gnawing at her insides demanded to be sated. Her throat was raw and burned from the thirst.

"It was a possibility," Rumple admitted using magic to change them into clean clothes before taking her out into the night. "Years ago I traveled to another land searching for this spell then I heard of a witch who had done this same thing to her children, to save them. I thought when I found Bae I would protect him from the rigors of time, but she warned against the use of this spell as it would offend nature."

"But, you did it anyway," Belle said. She wasn't angry with him. In fact she hadn't been ready to die. If she could have forever with Rumple then this was the rice she needed to pay to have it. "I'm not angry," He looked at her in disbelief. "I'm not." She said again. "We can have forever now." Belle fisted her hands in his clean suit jacket lapels and hauled him against her, kissing him passionately. She broke the kiss and gasped, "But first, feed me."

**CENTER OF TOWN:**

Rumplestiltskin walked with Belle by his side knowing that she was fighting her hunger. He kept her close by when they walked by other couples on the street. As they turned, their intent to head to Granny's Belle stopped, her gaze fixed on a man in the ally across from them. He saw the faint outline of a man, but he knew for Belle he could see just as well as if it were daylight out. When he had searched out Esther, he had to stay in her land to learn exactly what, at the time he thought to use the spell on Bae, would go through. Rumple had to learn how to help him. In this stage, Belle would need blood, and she would need it soon. Rumple's main concern was keeping her alive. "I take it you found someone to feed on," Rumple muttered holding tight to her so she wouldn't rush off.

"That man," Belle said keeping her voice down, "He's one of Regina's guards, one of the ones who kept me locked in that tower." She had never told Rumple which of the guards had held her in captivity, but now she was strong enough, hungry enough to settle the score. "I want him to know the fear I knew in that cell." She bit out feeling her anger rise. The hunger rose, demanding she act. Before she knew it, she was across the street in the mouth of the alley. Crimson smoke appeared at her side, Rumple was with her. He would always be with her. "Help me not to kill him." She begged silently. His response was to lay his hand on her shoulder, offering a gentle squeeze.

"Belle, remember what I told you, you can compel him." Rumple said knowing her emotions were intensified, knowing they could shift like the wind. "Once you feed, compel him to know your fear, to relive every night for as long he lives." He knew that once she heard him supporting her choice she would change her mind. Rumple saw it in her eyes, saw the clarity take her.

"What am I saying?" Belle shook her head. "I can't do that too him." She took a deep calming breath, "But I know I can't take this gnawing hunger much longer." Once more she looked at the man leaning against the wall as she felt her fangs extend and her eyes turn. She could barely stand to be so close and not sink her fangs so deeply inside the tender flesh of the guard's neck.

"When you get to him, compel him not to scream, take your fill, and then compel him to forget." Rumple instructed. Belle looked to him again and nodded before stepping from his side to stalk down the alley, eating up the distance between her and her prey. She was a predator; gentle and yet lethal all in one body. Belle looked radiant and he couldn't love her more. He loved her as a human, he loved her when he was a monster. Rumple just hoped that in the coming days he would be able to help her overcome the obstacles of what she was now.

Belle moved to stand behind the guard and then she tapped him on the shoulder before jumping out of the way so he wouldn't see her until he turned back. "Don't scream, this won't hurt," She ordered not sure how she knew she used her compulsion, but was glad some instincts came with being what she was now. The guard took on a dazed, almost dreamy expression allowing Belle to move aside the collar of his shirt. There, in the side of his neck, his jugular vein pulsed. In one swift move, Belle sank her sharp predatory teeth home in his neck feeling blood flow over her tongue, and down her ravaged throat bringing relief.

Rumple called out, "Belle you have you stop!" He came closer seeing that she refused to let go and he could understand. She was hungry. "Belle, don't kill him." Rumple touched her back, trying to bring her back to her senses. "Stop," he dug his fingers into her shoulder and Belle finally stopped. Belle breathed hard, blood painting her chin, sliding down her throat. She looked sated, euphoric.

Belle felt better, more like her old self. Next she knew what she had to do, looking back at the man she got him to look her in the eyes and said, "You'll forget this ever happened. You got drunk, stumbled into the alley, and fell asleep." The man nodded, closed his eyes, and dropped to the concrete fast asleep. Turning back to Rumple she smiled pleased with herself that she was able to overcome her hunger. She licked her lips knowing that the blood still painted them. He smiled at her, producing a handkerchief to clean the blood from her face.

**TO BE CONTINUED:**


	2. Chapter 2

Summary**:** Belle is wounded leaving Rumple to do something drastic.

Disclaimer: I own nothing of Once Upon A Time or The Vampire Diaries

Rating: T+

Pairing: Belle and Rumplestiltskin

A/N: This is a crazy idea that I came up with that mixes in elements of The Vampire Diaries. I promise it is all OUAT. No characters from TVD will appear, just a few mentions, but only the Original family.

**RISE OF AN ORIGINAL: **

**MORNING:**

Belle woke in her bed, under her covers, and with the scent of Rumplestiltskin all around her. Somehow it seemed stronger; it clung to the very air making her head spin. Everything about her now was heightened. Taste and touch and smell, she couldn't stop from noticing everything. It was as if Belle had never seen the world before last night. She felt her right arm being moved, cold metal sliding onto her right index finger. She opened her eyes in time to see Rumple adjusting a gold band on her finger and in the center it held a sky blue stone. It matched his. "What's this for?" Belle asked sitting up inspecting the delicate ring. She could feel the thrum of magic pulsing against her skin. Something told her that she wouldn't be able to take this ring off from now on.

Rumplestiltskin sat beside her and answered, "This ring is imbued with magical properties to protect you from the sun." Belle looked at him with confusion coloring her gaze. Before she could ask what it meant, he explained, "I got this spell from a very powerful witch who wished to save her children. She didn't realize that this magic came with some restrictions." He sighed taking her and between his as he continued. "The elements that were used were turned against you. This ring," Rumple showed her the band he had finished crafting that morning as she slept, "It's enchanted to keep the sun from harming you, but unlike the children cursed by their mother, you can only be killed by the same dagger that could claim my life." It was hard telling Belle that she could still die.

"And the blood?" Belle asked. He knew she should be repulsed by how easily she had fed from one of her former captors, how easily she had made him forget what had happened to him, but she wasn't. It was as if everything in her life was leading up to this moment. Meeting Rumple, falling in love with him, and being taken from him. All of it was meant to make her emotionally stronger to deal with what she was now. "Is it because you used your blood to mix the potion?" When she looked at him, she still Rumple, but now she could hear the rushing of his blood, practically taste his pulse on her tongue. It was distracting.

"Yes, I needed power; more than I could harness from the sun." He answered, "My blood was one element of the spell." Rumple rubbed the palms of his hands over hers. "Because I used blood, you will crave it. It will be an insatiable hunger for you, and it's where you draw your strength too." Rumple wasn't sure if he was explaining things right. He wasn't sure what was really going on in Belle's mind. Was she angry? Was she going to rage at him for using dark magic?

"How do you know all of this?" Belle asked resting her other hand on top of his. When she looked at him she didn't feel anger of the dark magic he used to make her, she felt her strong undying love for him. It felt more intense than it had before. She wasn't sure how she would feel tomorrow, but right now nothing he told her would make her angry with him. Belle understood the desire that had driven him to find his son, the drive to find a way to protect him from time. Rumple used the spell he had obtained for Bae on her. She loved him for that.

"I wanted to learn all I could about them before I approached the witch about making a deal. For a few months I watched the family as they adapted to their new abilities, to the looks of the villagers as they knew the cursed walked among them." Rumple answered. "What I saw made the risks, at the time, worth it to me had I found Bae. I thought in time I could find a way to reverse the side effects. But I never did," For a second he closed his eyes, picturing the faces of the children who had been cursed with hunger, with strength, agility, and cut off from the rest of the world. "I just…" He sighed and moved from the bed to stand at the window.

"Are you having second thoughts about saving my life?" Belle asked getting out of bed to go to him. He rounded on her and the sorrow in his eyes pierced her heart. Rumple wasn't second guessing saving the life. "I'm not angry with you over this." She cupped his face making sure she was looking at her. "I didn't want to die. I wasn't ready to leave you." Belle felt tears in her eyes. The truth of her words lingered between them. "I will never be ready to leave you."

"I will never regret saving your life." Rumple leaned in, resting his forehead to hers, "As long as I live, you will never be far from my arms." Belle smiled and with her enhanced speed hugged him a little too quickly which sent them into the wall behind him. Rumple wasn't a man to be broken easily, but he had to admit that her new strength was something he had to get used to. "Take it easy sweetheart," He teased, "I'm an old man." Belle only smirked at him. Rumple angled his head to lay a gentle kiss to her lips when the doorbell chimed loudly through the silent house. Together they groaned in annoyance.

Belle pulled back from Rumple turning her attention to the door. She reached for her dark purple silk robe, put it on and headed down stairs. Unconsciously she was moving faster than she thought she was because her hand was on the front door in the next second. Belle stopped and listened. She could hear two distinctive heartbeats on the other side of the door. Her intent had been to back up, to turn and return upstairs, but Rumple was there with the final wisps of crimson smoke disappearing around him. "Did I really move that fast?" Belle asked and Rumple nodded; a smile fixed to his lips.

"Whoever it is on the other side of the door had better have a good reason for coming here." Rumple growled, glaring at the door where he saw two distinct shadows. He opened the door to find Charming and Snow on his front porch, both wore concerned looks on their faces, but when they looked past him to see Belle that concern melted away, "Yes?"

"Sorry, we just had to…" Snow started to say and then stopped. She looked at Belle and then said, "We were just at the library looking for you and we saw all the blood. Belle are you ok?" Mary-Margaret looked Belle up and down looking for any signs of injuries, but she found nothing. Belle was smiling, she was looking happy.

Belle nodded, "I'm more than ok and I couldn't even begin to explain the blood." She answered looking to Rumple. Then, she felt her left thigh making sure that the puncture wounds were really gone. Belle felt perfectly soft flesh that put her sudden nervousness at ease.

"There was too much blood for anyone to have lived long." Charming said. "Are you sure you're alright." He had promised Ruby that he would look after Belle even as she chose to be with Rumplestiltskin.

Belle brought her right hand up and rubbed at her throat. There was that telltale hunger again, but it wasn't as strong as it had been last night. "I'm sure, I'm fine." She took a step back towards the stairs. "I should get dressed." This time when she moved, she was careful to move at a human pace. Once she was upstairs she could still hear Charming and Snow grilling Rumple about all the blood that was found in the Library. She took her time dressing as she continued to listen to Rumple answering their questions, but at the same time he wasn't answering them.

Downstairs Rumple tried to answer Snow and Charming's questions, but at the same time he wasn't really answering them. He had no way to tell them that Belle had been poisoned, he couldn't heal her, leaving him to take her heart, put a spell on it, use the magic to heal her, then had Regina kill her, only to revive Belle into a new being without making himself sound like the monster they all still thought him to be. "I don't know what you want me to tell you." He put the faint hint of annoyance in his tone hoping that it would make them go away.

"How about a straight answer?" Charming was growing frustrated. "The blood, was it Belle's?"

"Yes, it was mine." Belle had changed clothes faster than she meant to. She wore her black leather skirt, black pumps, and a crimson blouse. She could hear the change in Rumple's pulse knowing that he was getting aggravated. It was better that she come down and try to explain thing as she understood them. The least she could do was admit that she was attacked. "Something attacked me."

"Belle…" Rumple started to say but she shook her head and he fell silent. He didn't want her to have to relive what happened to her in the Library. Yesterday she had nearly died taking his heart with her. He hadn't slept last night with images of her bloody and pale playing out over and over in his mind. "You don't have to explain." He said gently.

"No, they have to know." Belle descended the stairs, "Others could be in danger from what attacked me." She took her place at Rumple's side, and then she told them what she knew. "I was in the Library shelving books, just wasting time until I was to meet Rumple for dinner. I don't what caught my attention, but I heard hissing."

"A snake?" Snow asked talking a step closer to Belle.

"I think so." Belle replayed the incident in her mind, trying to remember if she had seen the thing that had attacked her. "But whatever it was, it was big, and it bit me leaving me for dead." She could still feel the pain of the fangs sinking into her thigh, the poison being pumped into her system, and the burning. Belle had thought that she had truly going to die.

"Oh my god," Snow's instincts to comfort kicked in and she went to Belle and pulled her into a hug. "You have been through so much." She held on for just a second longer and then pulled back. "Is that how Gold found you?"

"I heard her scream when I was outside." Rumple couldn't shake the image of Belle surrounded by her still warm blood. "I was on my way to surprise her and whatever it was that attacked was already gone by the time I had the doors open." Snow moved away from Belle leaving him free to take her hand. His thumb rubbed over the ring she wore on her right ring finger. Leaning into her he whispered, "You changed fingers."

Belle chuckled, and smirked, "I did." Then she turned her attention back to Charmin and Snow. "I really don't know what it was, but I can help you find it." Rumple's hand tightened on her signaling she shouldn't have said what she had. She looked at him, "It's the right thing to do." Belle was determined to find the beast that injured her, but her actions after finding the creature were a mystery to her. She wasn't sure if she would try to talk to it or kill it.

"We'll take care of this." Charming couldn't accept Belle's offer to help, not when he promised he would keep her from harm. "Belle, you're still healing. You should rest."

"I'm fine, really." Belle said. "I'm better than ever because Rumple saved my life." She smiled warmly at the man she loved. "Besides, that beat is not about to attack me in my own Library and get away with it." With steel in her gaze she looked at the Prince and his wife. "I'm not letting this thing beat me."

**LIBRARY:**

Belle faced the doors of the Library smelling the day old blood still congealing on the floor inside. The copper smell should have been enough to turn her stomach if she was still human, but thanks to Rumple, his determination to keep her alive, she now had new senses to use. Under the smell of blood she could detect something else. Her right hand balled into a fist as she battled back the anger she was feeling. She had been attacked and left for dead. When would it stop? When could she just have her forever with Rumple? Belle looked down at the sidewalk, almost expecting to see blood; it smelled so close, but it was still contained inside. She had to see how much she had lost. With renewed resolve, she pulled opened the door and stepped foot inside. There in the center was the crimson stain that had been her blood.

Rumple glanced away from the door, letting Belle do this on her own. He knew what lay beyond in the dark; her puddle of blood. His hands felt as if they were still coated in the stuff, but he had used magic to wipe away any trace of it on his hands, from his clothes, and from Belle. He hadn't had the time to spare for cleaning up the Library, much to his regret. Rumple hated that Belle had to be reminded of the latest attack to befall her. Being the strong woman he knew her to be, he heard her open the door, and he saw her step inside. Charming and Snow made moves to follow her, but he held out his arm and shook his head. "Let her take it all in, let her move past it." Rumple was trying with every fiber of restrain he had to remain where he was, to keep from using his powers, to keep from taking her home.

"Are you sure that's a good idea?" Snow asked watching Belle move around the large puddle of blood. From the size, Snow knew that Belle had to have been bitten in the femoral artery. She had seen wounds like that when she had waged war against Regina. "She was attacked her. It doesn't do any good to see this, to see the blood." Snow only spoke out of conern.

"Belle's stronger than anyone gives her credit for," Rumple said loud enough for Snow to hear him, "Even me." There were days that he still saw her as the young woman living and working in his castle after she had bravely traded herself to him to save her family, her friends, and the people in her kingdom. She had been so valiant then, and she still was. Belle moved beyond the pool of blood. That was Rumple's cue to step foot inside with Charming and Snow behind him.

Belle tuned out Snow's concern; instead she focused on the scent that belonged to her attacker. She couldn't pinpoint where it had come from as the smell of her blood clouded the room, filled her nose, and brought about the rise in her hunger. She was about to turn, to tell them it was no good, when she heard the hissing again. It was faint, but she could hear it. Belle had the first instinct to run, but it squashed by her sudden desire for revenge on the creature that had attacked her. It was taking all she had to not run blindly after the sound of the hissing. Taking a deep breath to calm herself, Belle back tracked and returned to Rumple's side. "It's not in here, but I can hear it. That thing is close by." She told the others.

"Where could it be, if not in here?" Charming asked looking around the dim room. He tried not looking at the blood. In the pit of his stomach he had an awful feeling that the creature that had attacked Belle was the same creature that turned him to stone. Charming prayed to whatever Gods were listening that Medusa hadn't found her way to this town.

"It could be below us." Belle suggested going over to the wall where the elevator was hidden. She pressed the pressure release and the wall moved revealing the elevator. Without the wall to muffle the sound, Belle could hear the hissing grow louder. "It's down there." She confirmed listening to the subtle hissing echoing on the walls of the elevator shaft. The car was down at the bottom and the beast that hurt her was hiding. Belle resisted the urge to growl in anger.

"How do you know?" Snow asked stepping away from Charming, and standing by Belle to look down the shaft. "I can't hear anything." When she looked at the young woman, there was a change in her. Below Belle's eyes the veins rippled quickly. "Belle, are you sure you're ok?"

"Perfectly fine," Belle answered. "Why?" Though, she had an idea as to why Snow as asking her. She felt under her left eye, felt the vein protruding. It was in response to the blood, Belle knew it had to be. "Excuse me." Belle muttered hurrying outside. Maybe some fresh air would help her regain control. Once outside, Belle took deep breath after deep breath to calm her nerves. The longer she stayed in there while the blood was in the air she was liable to attack one of them. Then there would be more questions, more reasons for the town to hate Rumple, and they would hate her as well.

Rumple followed Belle outside to see her gathering her wits. "Everything under control?" He asked when she turned to him. The veins were normal, her skin as once more pristine and her blue eyes glittered. "You were amazing," He said bringing his hand up to cup her cheek. "Belle…" Rumple saw the anger in her gaze, it was centered on the open doors; the puddle of blood where she had been left for dead.

"I want to hurt whatever it was that left me for dead." Belle let her voice go into a deadly whisper. "I want to kill it." Her hands were shaking from the force of her anger. "I want it to bleed to, to burn, to suffer for what it did to me." She took another deep breath, focusing on Rumple and not her blinding rage that washed over her like a tidal wave. "This isn't like me. I'm not the kind to seek revenge, but I want it." Her insides shook from the rage. Belle was trying as hard as she could to calm herself, but it wasn't working. She was still so angry she was practically drowning. Every breath she took served to fuel the rage boiling through her blood.

"You'll feel like this for a long while, I'm sad to say." Rumple said. "Your emotions are stronger, more intense. What you feel is normal. Revenge is normal, but I know you and you won't act on it." He kissed her gently. "You're the strongest person I know." Rumple smiled at her. "Focus on a memory, any memory that fills you with love, with happiness, and hold onto it. It will ground you." Somehow, he could sense that she was choosing a memory of him, of some moment where they were just two people together without the world crashing down on them. Drawing her close, Rumple whispered, "I love you." He had to tell her every day that she was with him that he was still so in love with her, even if she was like this; an Original. "There will never be another in my heart since the day I met you." It was the truth. From the first moment he saw her, he knew she would upset his life, but in the best possible way.

Inside, Charming checked the lift to make sure it was locked down and couldn't only be unlocked from up here. "Well, whatever's down there I going to stay down there." He closed the door and then looked at his wife. "Mary-Margaret, what is it?" David touched her shoulder. Snow was suspiciously quiet. He almost feared that she was going to bring up his silence over being poisoned by dream-shade.

"It's Belle." Snow answered keeping her eyes on the couple standing outside. "She seems different, not evil different, just changed." Mary-Margaret took her eyes from Gold and Belle so she could see David's face. "I can't put into words what's different about her except when she standing where you were, black veins rippled under her eyes." Snow shook her head. "I don't know, maybe I imagined it." There was no way she had seen what she had and that was saying a lot. Snow was best friend with a werewolf. "Things in this town have gotten weirder since we woke up from the curse."

"Do you wish the curse had never been broken?" David asked shyly.

"No!" Snow protested fiercely. "I couldn't live without knowing who I truly am," Then she sighed, her shoulders slumping, "When will it all stop? When will we have to catch our breath, to lick our wounds, or just have time to sit and marvel at the fact we're not facing an enemy intent on destroy us?"

"It makes our life more interesting," David smiled at Snow. "We'll have a quiet life, eventually." She walked into his arms and he held her tight. "It doesn't matter what happens, I'll always be with you, I'll always strive to give you the peaceful happy ending you so long for." David kissed the top of Snow's head as he continued to hold her close.

**DOWN IN THE CAVERN:**

Medusa listened to everyone talking about her head, especially to the fair young maiden Belle. She smiled wickedly as she worked the clay into a golem. Belle had been meant to die, but because the Dark One interfered she was left to invent a new method for the maiden's demise. Medusa took great care in crafting the clay into the visage of a man Belle knew, the man she was supposed to be bound to by marriage. She used her ancient magic to bind the clay with metaphysical strength. No human would be able to destroy him, not even Rumplestiltskin. With care she molded the clay into the face of a man with a strong jaw, trim neck, broad shoulders, long arms with perfectly toned muscles, perfectly sculpted chest, and on down. With magic she animated the clay golem into the form of Gaston, Belle's former fiancé. The golem opened his eyes making Medusa smile widen. "I can't wait to put you to use."

"Where am I?" The Golem asked in the borrowed voice crafted from the blood memories of the maiden. He blinked knowing his false name. "What can I do to serve you?" Gaston cracked his neck, flexed his arms, and worked his jaw.

"You can drive a wedge between Belle and her Dark One." Medusa crooned having a plan. The first step was to distract Rumplestiltskin, to make him focus all of his attention on the crumbling relationship between him and Belle. Medusa was going to cause as much havoc as she could. The golem was the first step.


	3. Chapter 3

Summary**:** Belle is wounded leaving Rumple to do something drastic.

Disclaimer: I own nothing of Once Upon A Time or The Vampire Diaries

Rating: T+

Pairing: Belle and Rumplestiltskin

A/N: This is a crazy idea that I came up with that mixes in elements of The Vampire Diaries. I promise it is all OUAT. No characters from TVD will appear, just a few mentions, but only the Original family.

**RISE OF AN ORIGINAL: **

**GRANNY'S DINER:**

Belle sat at the bar fighting the hunger that had risen when they were in the library. She was gripping Rumple's hand to the point she thought she might break a few bones, but he said nothing. He only sat next to her waiting until she could for a coherent sentence. Belle clenched her jaw when she saw Granny coming towards them. It was past time she had this hunger under lock and key. The heartbeat of everyone in the room was starting to be the only thing she could hear. On her tongue, she could practically taste warm blood. The veins under her eyes rippled as she managed to calm the raging storm crewing inside of her. Belle forced a smile the moment Granny stopped in front of her. "Hi, granny."

"Can I get you a burger?" Granny asked seeing Belle clench her jaw and then look at Rumple.

"Actually," Belle sighed, "I would like the biggest glass of whiskey you could give me." Somehow she doubted she could ask for a glass of warm blood without getting a strange look. Asking for a whiskey seemed the best possible option.

"It's 10am," Granny scolded gently. "What going on with you, girl?" She asked good naturedly.

"I've had a bad day." Belle replied with a small smile.

Granny looked at Rumplestiltskin, "What'd you do to her?"

Rumple rolled his eyes with Belle squeezing his hand. "Why is it everyone thinks that my main reason for breathing is to make sure people have a bad day?" He tried not to growl at the grandmother wolf staring daggers at him.

"Granny, he makes me smile," Belle drew the attention away from Rumple and back to her. "I just feel off, that's all." She smiled weakly at Granny. "Can I get that whiskey now?" She asked. "And then later, I'll be in for the biggest juiciest burger ever." Belle promised and then breathed a sigh of relief when Granny ambled away with just a role of her eyes. She knew the elderly wolf meant well. Once she was sure Granny was far enough away, Belle turned to Rumple and asked, "Can I even eat regular food?"

Despite the accusing glare, Rumple smiled, "I wouldn't try it until you're more accustomed to your new state of being." He took Belle's hand, lifting her knuckles to his lips to lavish light kisses to her skin. Belle giggled touching his lips with the pad of her index finger leaving him to teasingly nip at her finger. When he was with her, the world could fade away. "After you've adjusted I'll take you out for the biggest burger you could ever eat." He promised, leaning into her to give her a kiss. Her lips were still as soft as a rose with the taste of power mixing with the love he could taste.

"Right now, I'd settle for whiskey, and maybe later…" Belle wasn't sure how she could give voice to what it was she wanted; blood. She knew she needed it, craved it even, but the thought of stalking out in the night for some unsuspecting victim made the guilt rise inside of her. It was enough to combat the intense anger she was feeling over being attacked. "Maybe you could go with me when I…" Belle let her words die. Rumple just held her hand giving her a sympathetic smile. She tightened his hold on his hand. "I don't think I could find someone to feed on without you with me."

"If you want, we can go the Rabbit Hole, and you can…" Rumple stopped talking when Granny came back with a shot of Whiskey and a glass of ice tea. "Thank you." He smiled at the grandmother wolf even though he knew it would earn him a scowl of disdain in return. And like he suspected, Granny rolled her eyes setting the tea down in front of him. To Belle he teased, "I think she's warming up to me." He chuckled when Granny growled in his direction.

Belle knocked back the generous shot of Whiskey; it burned all the way down her throat, but something in the alcohol soothed the hunger she was feeling. She looked at Rumple with a sigh of relief, "Should we really go to the Rabbit Hole?" The atmosphere of such a place enticed her, thrilled her at the thought of the people there, the chance to feed on them when they were marinating in alcohol. It was wrong and not who she was. "How can I feed on these people, on anyone?" She asked with a sigh.

"Because, you're strong and I'll be with you every step of the way." Rumple kissed Belle's temple. "Come on, we'll go home, and if you makes it feel better you break anything you want." He joked hoping to get a smile from her, and she couldn't hide it. "Tonight, the Rabbit Hole will be the perfect place to practice." Turning from the bar, Rumple slid from the stool, and offered his hand to Belle. She was the light of his life, the goodness in his soul. With the same smile she had when he had given her the rose, Belle took his hand and slipped gracefully from the bar stool to stand next to him. He didn't care about the stares everyone in the diner threw their way.

Belle took his left arm with a grin on her lips. She tried not to notice everyone watching her and Rumple. "Do I still get to break something when I get home?" Her tone was teasing and then she leaned close whispering in his eyes, "Preferably the bed." Belle chuckled and then stopped when she saw Snow and Charming walk through the door of the diner. "Looks like that will have to wait." Belle sighed and plastered a smile on her face. "Hello Snow, David."

"We think we know what attacked you." Snow rushed.

"It was a Medusa." David added.

"Medusa?" Belle asked and then it made sense. "A Medusa, as in more than one?" They nodded, leaving Belle to add, "The only Medusa I know of is the woman who was cursed by an angry Goddess because a God violated her in a temple." They looked at her, all but Rumple, and Belle shrugged, "I read a lot and she's someone I read about. It's a very sad story."

Everyone around them started to stare, "We should talk somewhere else, like my shop." Rumple said motioning to the door. They would have to avoid the others in the town until it was time to alert them of yet another threat. The denizens of this town should have a few moments to breathe calm air rather than running for cover or panicking. "Let's not worry the masses until we have to." Rumple reasoned when they moved back outside. At his side, Belle had calmed, but he could tell that she still needed to feed. To give her something to focus on, Rumple took her hand letting her feel the heat of his skin.

Belle was grateful for the touch of Rumple's hand in hers. She had been eyeing one of the diner patrons a little too closely for the last few moments. It was better that they leave before she lost herself and attacked someone. Rumple looked at her, gave her a knowing smile, and he guided her to the door just in time. In the next moment she was outside breathing deeply the fresh air, practically tasting the sun on her tongue. She tried to keep her nerves calm as she walked beside Rumple, listening to the sounds of the town. Hopefully the hustle and bustle of the town would keep her mind centered, keep her from attacking a random stranger.

**GOLD'S PAWN SHOP:**

Rumple left Snow and Charming in the front of his shop when he pulled Belle through the curtain divider. The moment the curtain cut them off from the others he brought his hands up to her face asking, "What do you need?" His voice was as loving and tender as he could make it. "Tell me what I can get you."

"Blood," Belle dragged in the needed air to give voice to her hunger. "I need blood." She put her hands on his chest, her fingers digging into the lapels of his suit jacket. "I can't push the hunger aside, not when I'm surrounded by warm blooded people." Belle leaned in, resting her forehead against Rumple's chest. "I'm so hungry." She tried not to moan, to whimper. She didn't want to sound pathetic.

"Oh, sweetheart," Rumple kissed the top of her head. "I have just what you need." Reluctantly he pulled her away from him and went to one of the locked cabinets. He used magic to unseal it and inside was a bottle filled with blood taken Regina when she had been but a student under his tutelage. "Here, you'll like the vintage." He pulled the cork, handing her the bottle. "It's from Regina's very own veins." Rumple looked on with pride as Belle's eyes turned red, the spider web of veins ripple, and her teeth lengthen.

Belle breathed in and then sighed in immense satisfaction. "I'll try not to gag." She teased before lifting the bottle to her lips. Gratefully she drank, practically gulping the crimson nectar that soothed the savage beast of her raging hunger. She dropped the bottle and licked her lips feeling euphoria. "That wasn't half bad, not much evil to poison the delicate bouquet of young blood." Belle replaced the cork, setting it on the table at her side. "That must have been from before she lost her soul."

"Yes, she was innocent once," Rumple sighed, "But, we're not to talk about her. We have other matters to attend." Placing his hand over her heart, "Should you need, remain back here until you…" Belle covered his mouth smiling at him. That told him all he needed to know. She was going to be alright the moment they rejoined the others. Taking her hands from over his mouth, he pulled her close and tried to give her a lightly kiss, but Belle deepened it and he tasted the blood she had just ingested. It wasn't as revolting as he thought it would have been. Then she moved back mumbling that she was sorry. Rumple pulled her into his arms and said, "Don't be sorry."

Belle sucked in a sharp breath, steeling herself before she faced two living people, bodies full of blood, and the tantalizing sound of their beating hearts. "I'll be ok." She assured Rumple with a confident smile. "I can't hide from the world until I have everything control. You may need me." She took a step back feeling the words she had spoken to Hopper.

"I always need you." Gold made sure she saw in his eyes how much he needed her. "Haven't I proven that yet?" He asked. "I would go to any lengths to make sure you never doubt how much I need you." Belle's eyes lit up at his words. As much as it pained him, Gold said, "We should get back out there." Taking her hand once more, Rumple and Belle stepped out into the main room of the pawn shop to see they had more people; Regina, Emma, Neal, and Hook.

Regina looked up the moment the curtain parted. Rumplestiltskin came into the room with Belle at him side. The evil Queen could sense power emanating not just from Rumple, but now from Belle as well. It wasn't darkness in the young woman, it was just power. She was definitely more than she was before. Regina wasn't sure if that was a good thing or not. The guilt she had been feeling over actually killing the young woman settled in the pit of her stomach. She hated it. "Nice to see you've recovered Belle."

Belle looked at Regina, another wave of anger washed through her at being killed at her hands even though she had given consent, but she also had this small glimmer of understanding for Regina. The woman before her had a hole in her heart that would never heal. Knowing that, Belle went to her and before she thought better of it, she threw her arms around Regina and whispered, "Thank you for what you did, but I still owe you for keeping me locked up." A small ripple of tension ran through Regina at Belle's whispered words. "And I plan to collect." She said pulling back.

"I don't doubt that for a moment." Regina replied taking a step back. She knew she was in the presence of a predator more dangerous than she or Rumplestiltskin could ever be. Then, to distract her from the heavy stare she was getting from Belle, Regina looked at the Dark One asking, "Why exactly are we here?"

"The creature that attacked Belle," Rumple began looking to his right, to Belle who stood by his side staring down the Evil Queen, "Was Medusa." He took in a breath and then continued to speak. "This is not the one that Charming and Snow faced. This is the first Medusa, the one cursed by a Goddess." Rumple took Belle's hand in his. "She's not a creature from our world and not from any land I know of."

"Then how did she get here?" David asked crossing his arms over his chest. "What could she want?"

"Revenge seems to be the dish everyone in this town is partial to." Belle spoke with her eyes fixed on Regina. "Some people, I should say." She squeezed Rumple's hand because at this moment she was feeling the need to indulge in revenge herself.

"Revenge on who?" Emma asked trying to wrap her head around yet another threat while trying to keep her bad feeling in check as she looked at Belle.

"A god who no longer exists," Belle answered. "The first Medusa was a beautiful woman coveted by the God Poseidon, but she spurned his advances as she was devoted to Athena, the goddess of wisdom." Belle answered Emma. "One day, Poseidon could no longer control his lust for Medusa and he followed her to the temple belonging to Athena, where he attacked her," She took a breath and closed her eyes continuing on with the tale, "He violated her but it was Medusa who was punished." She let go of Rumple's hand. A long buried memory rose from the darkness of her mind. The fear of the moment was choking her as she tried to finish the tale of Medusa. She took her time in taking deep breaths to calm herself.

Rumple could see that she needed a few moments to collect her thoughts. That left him to pick up the tale, "Athena cursed Medusa, but unlike the one Snow and Charming encountered, she has three forms."

"Three? Last time I saw her, she had two." Regina interrupted. "What deal did you make, you twisted little imp?" She crossed her arms over her chest, staring him down.

"Any deal that benefits me." Rumple replied with a flourish of his hands, falling back on his personality of the Dark One. "She came to me wanting to make a deal so she could have a way to find her family." He fought the urge to go to Belle to pull her into his arms, and he fought to continue talking. "What no one seems to remember about Medusa is that she had a family, three other sisters." Now was the truth he never wanted to admit, not when Belle was so close. Even after Medusa had found out what happened to her family, he had kept track of the bloodline, right down the line all the way to Belle. "Medusa might have come here searching for the last living descendant…" When it came to mentioning her name, he couldn't do it, not until he had a chance to talk to Belle. It might be the reason Belle was attacked in the first place.

"Why would she want some distant relative? What could she gain from that?" Hook asked turning to look at the young Belle who seemed more effected by the tale than any of the assembled. When it wasn't one thing, it was another. Perhaps Hook had made the wrong choice in staying in this place, but then he thought of Emma, and his mind made the choice to remain.

Belle listened to Rumple speaking to the others as she tried to reign in her churning emotions. When Rumple had cast her out, she had been walking alone in the forest one even when a man had set upon her. Unlike Medusa, Belle was able to get away from her attacker and make it to the Inn down the road. She thought that fear, the moment of powerlessness had been lifted from her, but telling that story had brought it back. Belle had been lost, alone, afraid, and angry at being thrown out. It wasn't anger at rumple that kept her silent; it was fear. She didn't want him to know what nearly happened to her, not until she was ready to tell him.

Bae looked at Belle wondering what had drawn his gaze to the woman that held his father's heart. She had been the one to inform them of Medusa's plight, but it was now his father that finished the tale. Leaving the others to bombard hi father with questions he crossed the shop to stand next to Belle, "Are you ok?" She didn't turn to him, but nodded. He wasn't convinced. "Belle, if something's wrong, you can…."

Belle turned to him, "Shhh…" she had to make sure Bae kept his voice down as her eyes fixed on Rumple. He was still talking with the others about the deal he and Medusa made. "I'm ok, just, my emotions are a little on the heightened side today." Belle rambled looking into eyes that she knew all too well. Bae had his father's eyes. Then she sighed because Bae was giving her a look that said he knew she was keeping something to herself. "I can imagine what Medusa went through, but unlike her, I was able to get away with just a few bruises."

"Does my father know?" Bae looked over his shoulder to see his father looking at them. He smiled lightly and nodded his head signaling that things were fine. Then, turning his attention back to Belle, he asked, "Are you going to tell him?"

"I can't." Belle shook her head, "Not yet, not when I'm uncertain as to what he would do." She sighed, "I mean, he's fearsome about my protection and goes to extremes when I've been hurt." To give Bae and example, Belle told him what Rumple had done when she had been shot and lost her memory. "When Hook shot me, after he healed me, your father nearly killed Hook, and all for shooting me."

Bae rested his hand on Belle's shoulder, "If you want someone to talk to you, you can talk to me." He offered. "I would like the chance to get to know you." This woman before him had done what no other could. She had given the dark man hat was his father a soul; a reason to be a good man. She wasn't the woman he thought her to be.

"Thank you, Bae." Belle smiled at him, "Do you mind if I call you Bae?" She asked.

"Sure," Bae smiled liking the fact he could hear his name spoken again and not cringe. "I have to get used to hearing my name again." Then, he offered again, "I'm serious, if you ever want to talk to me, I'll listen."

"I know Bae," Belle smiled, "You have a good heart, like your father." Bae only smiled at her before rejoining the others. She took gathered herself and returned to Rumple's side. For right now there was nothing they could do about Medusa until she made her next move. They all agreed there was nothing to be done, so they parted ways for the rest of the day.

**THE NEXT DAY:**

The morning had slipped by with nothing happening. Belle was able to breathe a little easier as the minutes ticked by but she hadn't been able to sit still for more than an hour before she was up and pacing. The Library was nearly ready to be opened, so she could afford to send the day with Rumple in his shop. He tried not to watch her as she tried to keep her nerves in check. She kept looking at her watch, or the clock. For lunch she was to meet Bae. Then she faced the man she loved and asked, "Are you ok with me having lunch with your son?"

Rumple smiled, "Yes, I want you and Bae to get to know each other." He answered stopping what he was doing so he could go to her, put his arms around her, and hold her close. "My son is important to me, but so are you. The fact that he is making an effort to know you makes me happy." Rumple took his right hand and placed it over her heart. "Bae is my pride and joy. You are my heart, the missing half of my soul." He angled his head and kissed her lightly. "I would try to join you, but he needs to be able to ask questions that he wouldn't be able to ask if I was right there."

"I wouldn't sensor my answers to any questions he could ask," Belle replied, "Even if you were there." She giggled slipping her arms over his shoulders. "I know you've done evil things, I've seen a few them, but you'll never be evil to me," Her fingers tangled in the silky strands of his hair at the nape of his neck. "I'll tell your son whatever he wants to know and it will be the truth as I've seen it." Belle looked at the clock seeing that it was time for her to meet Bae for lunch. "I'll be on my best behavior and I won't eat the patrons." She joked. Rumple kissed her again before letting her go.

"Nice to know I'm not the only one who has to be on their best behavior." Rumple teased pulling Belle back into his arms for a searing kiss. She pushed at his chest halfheartedly, laughing into the kiss. "Ok, ok, I'll let you go." He reigned himself in, taking a step back with a wicked smile, "But later, you are all mine."

"I look forward to it." Belle replied, grabbing her coat and heading out the shop door. The cool air hit her skin, sending little shockwaves of feeling through her. Everything felt so different now that she was a vampire, or as Rumple had called her, an Original. He could practically smell the sun on the air. It was intoxicating. Since turning, every hour Belle had spent worrying that she would encounter an obstacle to her new that she wouldn't be able to overcome. In the seconds she allowed her worry to consume her, a small thought would trickle in that she had Rumple with her, that he would help her, and he would make sure she survived her new life.

At Granny's Bae sat waiting for Belle to show up. He was surprisingly nervous about having lunch with the woman his father loved so dearly. In moments alone he hadn't been able to stop replaying the conversation that his father had with Belle, the conversation while she had been in the hospital with no memory. His father had sounded so sad, so defeated, and so human. Bae wanted to mend things between them; his first step had to be getting to know Belle. The door to the diner opened and his lunch companion came in. He smiled waving her over.

Belle made her way over to the booth here Bae was seated. "Thank you for asking me to lunch." She said taking a seat. One of the waitresses came over and before she thought better of it, Belle said, "I'd like a glass of white wine, leave the bottle." The waitress gave her a curious glance but said nothing. She wasn't about to test out her stomach with food when she was still getting used to drinking blood, and alcohol curbed her hunger.

"You don't want anything to eat?" Bae asked.

"I'm not hungry." Belle answered. "Your father cooked me a big breakfast this morning." She lied lightly. Rumple had cooked breakfast, but it had only been for him. The smell of food was good, but she still craved blood so much that the thought of food didn't enter into her mind. "Please, don't let me to deter you. Eat." Belle smiled.

"Ok, I didn't want to be rude." Bae ordered the lasagna and he would settle for a glass of wine as well. For this conversation he would need an alcohol chaser. The lovely brunette waitress sashayed away to put their order in and he tried not to notice the stares they were drawing. "So, my obvious question should be how did you meet my father?" He felt ridiculous.

Belle smiled, "My kingdom was threatened by ogres and we sent a message to your father asking for aide." She recalled the moment of terror that each minute brought to them. "At sunset when the sky was painted red you father came as only he could, in grand spectacle. There was a knock on the barred doors, when they were opened, no one was there. Turns out, he was sitting in my father's chair, just waiting to announce himself," She giggled at the memory.

"Sounds like him," Bae joked.

"As I came to learn, yes, just like him." Belle agreed with a bright smile and then continued on with her tale. "My father promised gold, but gold was not what your father was interested in. He looked around the room, and then he looked at me. His request was for something more precious than gold. He wanted me and for my family, for my people, and my kingdom I agreed."

"That was brave of you," Bae sympathized.

"Brave, yes, and the best choice I could have made." Bell continued. "I won't lie; living with your father was hard at first. I had to learn how to clean." She laughed making him smile. "But, as time went on I found that he was hiding behind a mask." From her statement Bae gave her a curious arch of his brow. "A thief broke into the castle one night, and your father caught, held him prisoner then proceeded to torture him. It was something I could not let continue. So, while he was away, I let the prisoner go."

"That couldn't have pleased my father," Bae had a moment to fear the reprisal that might have befallen her. "What did he do to you?"

"Nothing drastic," Belle sighed. "He went to track down the thief, making go along because he raged at me that it was my fault. We were in a carriage that was stopped the Sheriff of Nottingham, of all people, and he knew where the thief was to be found, but he was not to enlighten us without making a deal with your father. The Sheriff called me a wench, asking to buy me for the night." Belle recalled the revulsion she had felt and the fear that Rumple would have parted with her, but he had looked at her seeing something in his eyes that told her he would make sure she was going to stay with him. "Your father surprised me by taking Sheriff's tongue right out of his head with his magic. He strong armed the Sheriff in giving him the information he wanted."

"As evil as my father was because of the magic, he wouldn't have harmed a woman or traded her like she was a possession," Bae said letting Belle continue with the tale.

"We found the thief and for a moment I thought he was going to kill him, but again he surprised me by letting the man go." Belle said. "On that day I saw the good man your father could be." She smiled at the memory.

"You really love him; I mean I saw how happy you were when he got off of Hook's ship, but…" Bae shook his head, "I guess I just didn't realize it until I heard you talking about him when he was like that."

"I would be many months more before I realized that I loved him." Belle added. I didn't even know it was happening until I was already hopelessly lost to him." She felt the warmth she had for Rumple fill her, ease the doubt she carried over her new state of being.

"I'm happy that he has you, that he's happy with you." Bae spoke gently. "He loves you in ways he never loved my mother." He admitted. "You've fixed something that my mother broke; his heart."

"Can I take this to mean that as his son, you approve of me?" Belle asked keeping the light mood intact.

"You've done more good for him than I thought possible." Bae said reaching out to take her hand. "My father deserves you." Giving her a gentle squeeze he withdrew his hand just in time when his food and her wine arrived.

Two hours later, Belle was laughing with Bae when they left Granny's. Their destination was the Pawn shop hen Belle felt a shift in the air. She looked up in time to see hands coming at her. She hadn't the time to react. They cupped her face pulling her close where unfamiliar lips descended on hers. Minding her enhanced strength she pushed the male form off of her only to see that it was Gaston. "What do you think you are doing?!" Belle raged taking a few steps back.

"Who is this?" Bae asked confused. The man had just appeared and grabbed at Belle, but in a flash she was moving back from him. It all happened in the blink of an eye.

Belle wiped at her lips trying to rub away the feeling imprinted upon them, "Technically, he's my fiancé." She answered in a grimace.


	4. Chapter 4

Summary**:** Belle is wounded leaving Rumple to do something drastic.

Disclaimer: I own nothing of Once Upon A Time or The Vampire Diaries

Rating: T+

Pairing: Belle and Rumplestiltskin

A/N: This is a crazy idea that I came up with that mixes in elements of The Vampire Diaries. I promise it is all OUAT. No characters from TVD will appear, just a few mentions, but only the Original family.

**RISE OF AN ORIGINAL: **

Bae pulled Belle behind him as he glared at the man who had just appeared and kissed her. She had pushed him off, but he felt the need to protect her. She was the love of his father's life. "What the hell do you think you're doing?" he snapped. Belle made no move to step around him as he looked back over his shoulder at her. She just shrugged and rolled her eyes which told Bae that there would be an explanation to come later; at least he hoped there would be.

Gaston, the form the Golem was given, drew on the false memories he had been given as he raked his gaze over the bearded man who stood between him and Belle. His mistress wanted the young girl for reasons he wasn't concerned with. He only had to get her alone. To Belle he sneered, "Being taken by the beast wasn't enough, now you have this weakling to defend you. How far you've fallen from the princess I was to marry."

Belle felt her rage ignite at those words. She stepped from Bae's protection and stared Gaston down. "How far I've fallen?" she mocked. "You must be joking!" Belle couldn't get swept up in the rage. "I've actually risen higher in station than I ever could as your wife." She growled. "I'm the Dark One's lover, the woman he would kill for." Boasting of such things would have been something that Belle never would have done before, but now she was much more than she appeared and she was not about to be talked down to by the likes of Gaston. "You ever touch me again and Rumplestiltskin will be the least of your worries." Then, because she was confident of her strength, she stepped closer to him to issue her final threat. "Be assured that I will kill you should you attempt anything."

Bae was dumb founded as Belle took his hand and pulled him away, pulled him in the direction of his father's shop. "What the heck was that about?" He asked looking over his shoulder every few steps to see if the stranger as following them. Mercifully, he wasn't. Bae would hate for his father to be incarcerated for murder, because if the man had followed him that would have surely been his fate.

Belle kept moving, keeping an iron grip on Bae's hand, "That was Gaston." She answered when they were far enough away. They stopped short of Gold's shop before she continued to speak. "Gaston was my fiancé when I met your father." Belle let go of Bae's hand, "I left with your father, knowing that I was leaving Gaston behind; our marriage to be broken."

Rumple stood behind the glass display counter in his shop trying to work out a way to tell Belle about her connection to Medusa. It wouldn't be a pleasant conversation, but it was one that had to happen, for her to know why she had been attacked. In fact, Belle and Bae having lunch today had afforded him time to think, to pace, to brood, and to run circles in his mind. Even if he had a hundred years to find the right way to tell her, he would never be able to manage it. With two hours gone by as if two seconds, Rumple still had nothing to tell her as he turned to see the love of his life, his Belle, coming through the door of his shop. She came right to him, her arms over his shoulders, and her face buried in the crook of his neck. "I missed you too." He whispered looking at his son. "What happened?"

Belle took comfort in the feel of Rumple against her, the sound of his strong heartbeat. She would need it if she was to tell him what had just transpired. "Rumple, do you remember telling me that Gaston would never come looking for me?" she asked. "You assured me that he would never…. NEVER…." Belle stressed, "Come for me." She could see in his eyes that there was something he wanted to tell her but she stopped him. Belle cupped his face and said. "A few moments ago, a man came up to me, kissed me, and low and behold I was shocked to find that it was Gaston."

Rumple let everything else go, except what Belle had just told him. "That man dared to lay hands upon you? Does he not know…?" Belle stopped him with her hand to his mouth. Rumple bit back his words and waited for her to speak, to direct the conversation. That's what they were to have; a conversation rather than engage in a shouting match.

"I made it quite clear that I'm yours." Belle stated knowing that Bae was watching them. "I'm always going to be yours, but you told me…" This time Rumple was the one to still her words with his hand upon her mouth. Rather than say anything, he touched their foreheads together. Belle lowered her hand from his mouth as he did to her. She could get angry over the kiss, over the way Gaston had presumed that he still had claim to her, but she was fighting so hard to keep calm.

"The spell I cast should have taken care of him." Rumple grumbled.

"What curse did you cast on him?" Bae asked remembering the last time his father had used magic on another person. A man was turned into a snail because of some imagined danger.

Rumple took a step back from Belle to look at his son, "One afternoon Belle and I had been talking. I accused her, good naturedly, that she was trying to find my weakness. She giggled, smirked at me, and said…"

"You're not a monster. You think you're uglier than you are. That's why you cover all the mirrors up, isn't it?" Belle repeated her words to him, words she never forgot. Rumple smiled at her before kissing her brow. He stepped away from her, turning to his son.

"As I was about to reply, a fierce pounding sounded on the large doors to the castle," Rumple drew in a deep breath and let it out slowly. "At the doors was her young man, Gaston. His intention was to take her from a castle that had become her home." At the time he hadn't understood why he had reacted as he had, but now he knew. "I didn't want to lose Belle, so I might have overreacted as I'm known to do. Though, mind you, I was provoked. The arrogant fool dared to put his sword in my face. As a result, I turned him into an object of better use; a rose." Behind him Belle was laughing. Rumple, as well as his son, turned to see her in state of giggles as she tried to cover her mouth.

"That's not the reaction I was expecting." Bae muttered gaining a look of confusion from his father. Clearly it wasn't the reaction he was expecting either.

Belle knew she should be angry, furious even, but she couldn't muster that strong emotion through her peals of laughter. She could hardly catch her breath she was laughing so hard. All she could do was look at Rumple, see his confusion, and that of his son. Truly, her current reaction was not what they were expecting and she couldn't help but laugh harder at that. "Was that really, Gaston?" Belle managed to choke out through her giggles. She put her hand over her mouth hoping to stifle any further sounds from her. Unfortunately it didn't work very well, except to bring a smile to Rumple's eyes.

Rumple moved from Bae's side and over to Belle where she was still shaking from her attempt to quiet her laughter. "I must say Belle, this is…" He stopped talking. "You're truly not angry?" Gold had to ask, had to know what his love was feeling. She stopped shaking, dropped her hands to her side, and looked him right in the eyes. He could feel himself falling into her powerful gaze, see the truly magnificent creature she was, had become. Belle was finally growing into her true self. Maybe this was who she was meant to be; a supernatural being.

Belle sobered, pulling herself together enough to speak. "I know I should be furious at you for what you did. I traded myself for their safety; my friends and my family." She shook her head. "Gaston and I, when we children had been friends, and soon he would've been my husband," Belle sighed. "But you did promise that he never would harm me again; not after that day."

"What day?" Bae asked drawing attention back to himself. He could see a shadow of some long resolve horror flit through Belle's eyes and it only made him want to know more.

Belle stepped away from Rumple, wrapping her arms around her stomach. "I was left alone in the castle when your father had gone to make one of his many deals." She started to say. "It was like any other day. I had chores, which I made sure to finish early so I could read. I was always reading." She chuckled lightly picturing the looks Rumple often gave her when he discovered her with a book in her lap.

"Why do I feel this story is about to take a turn in a bad direction?" Bae asked taking a step closer to Belle as she paced back and forth in a small line. She stopped pacing to look at him, to his father, and then back to him. Bae even looked at his father to see the mighty Dark One standing back and away from her. His father was giving Belle her space because he knew she needed it.

"Rarely anyone came to the Castle while Rumplestiltskin was away," Belle could recall that day with vivid clarity, and sometimes when she was alone, she was still frightened. "The duties in the castle were light as your father had a sudden fit and rearranged the whole of the castle. I didn't have to clean much." She paused in her tale and chuckled seeing the look rumple was giving her. He well remembered that day to, but he had never told her why he had changed every single room. "As I was in the main hall, reading like always, I was startled when a furious pounding echoed through the silent halls. In hind sight, I should have left it alone, but I didn't."

"I should have taken you with me." Rumple said as he had many times before. "I was foolish to leave you alone in the castle." He still made no move to stand at her side. Belle needed to relate this tale.

"I'm guessing it was Gaston that knocked." Bae took a step closer to the woman who held his father's heart. She was young, younger than him, and yet his father smiled with such an inner light that he had never seen before.

"Once I opened the door, I knew he was there with murderous thoughts upon his mind. Is intent had been to dispatch your father." Belle felt her hands begin to shake. She was coming to the part that she hadn't even told to Rumple, not the full accounting. "He pushed by me, his voice bellowing for the beast to show himself." Her voice suddenly seemed far away as she replayed the events in her mind. "I tried to quell his ire, but I couldn't." Belle placed her hand upon her cheek, still feeling the sting of his hand. "He struck out, struck at me, and began his search." She looked at Rumple, anger lit his eyes. By the time he had returned, her bruise had healed and the healing cut to her lip was gone. "He'd never hit me before that day."

Upon hearing this Rumple came to her, gathered her close, and held her tight. "You never told me," he whispered. Movement caught his attention. Looking up he saw Bae standing behind Belle with his eyes fixed on them. For now he would hold Belle until Bae was ready to ask his questions. The love of his life began to shake as the memories ran free in her mind. She would feel it all again and there was nothing he could do to stop it. So, Rumple just held her. "I knew I should have killed him the moment he put that sword in my face." He mumbled gaining an eye roll from his son, but a smirk as well.

Neal looked at Belle and asked, "Was hitting you all he did?" She shifted her gaze away from him telling him all he needed to know. "What happened after he back handed you?"

Belle let go of Rumple, stepping back, and placing her hands flat on his chest. She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "He didn't ransack the castle, not as bad as you found it when you came home," Belle closed her eyes seeing that day again. "I stayed out of his way tending to my bloody lip, but that didn't keep me from hearing his bellows of rage with every vacant room he found."

"What did he do to you?" Gold asked, his voice barely above a growl. He was imagining all sorts of terrible things that the brute could have done to his sweet innocent Belle. Back then she couldn't defend herself, not like she could as the powerful being she was now. "Tell me or I will find him and beat it out of him." He warned.

Belle stepped back not afraid of his tone of voice, but of his reaction to what she had been hiding from him. Taking his right hand she held it a breath from her left cheek. "Use magic to wipe away the spell I cast." Belle's breaths in and out were shaking uncontrollably out of fear for what Rumple would see. His hand glowed purple wiping away the vanity spell she had cast. "Gaston was acting like a man I had never seen before. He said…." She stopped talking when he dropped his hand.

"He did this this to you?" Rumple didn't need to ask because the evidence was plain as day. The jagged line along Belle's cheek screamed jealousy. "How dare he!" He raged. Rumple turned fisting his hands until he could get this murderous anger under control.

"I couldn't tell you…" Belle felt tears fill her eyes when Bae's hands rested on her trembling shoulders. "I didn't know how." She shook her head pushing through the roiling emotions. "I guess what he was said still echoed in my head. As Gaston sliced into my face, he said, 'Maybe if I ugly you up he won't want you anymore.' In those few terrifying moments, he was more of a monster than you ever could be."

Rumple turned to Belle, his demeanor softening upon seeing the pure anguish in her eyes. He placed his hand to her cheek using his magic to heal the scar. "There is nothing that oaf could do to keep me from wanting you." It was the truth. Belle was his heart and his soul. She meant more to him than his life. "But for this, I will kill him."

"No, papa, you won't." Bae stated.

Belle agreed, "He's right, you won't do this." Then she said something that shocked both father and son, "Because I will."

Rumple's heart fell the moment she uttered those fateful words. "You don't mean that." He said filling his eyes with anguish. "To take a life, you lose apart of yourself, and I could never bear to watch you suffer knowing what you had done." Placing his hands on her shoulders, Rumple continued. "If you kill him, it will torment you with guilt, and that guilt will be amplified."

"I've already died once," Belle called back her anger. She was getting better at controlling her tumultuous emotions. "How much more of myself can I lose?" Turning away from Rumple, she looked to Bae, who stood away from them wearing a look of confusion. "The part of my soul taken from me was not when Gaston scarred my face, but when I used magic to conceal my wound from you." Belle said. "How am I not less than I was before?" she asked looking up at the ceiling.

"You're definitely not less than you were before." Bae spoke up. "If anything you are more, much much more than a damsel in distress." She smiled at him and the smile reached her eyes.

Rumple felt his heart swell with love at the sight of Bae and Belle getting along so well. He wanted to talk her out of thoughts of cold blooded murder as well as spend more time with his son. "Should we all go home?" He asked Belle while watching Bae's face.

"I'll uh…" Bae suddenly felt like a third wheel. "I'll go back to the Inn."

"No, Bae," Belle went to him, placing her hand on his shoulder in a friendly manner, "There's more than enough room at the house. You should stay with us." Belle could see the refusal rising in his eyes, "If you stay one night, I will answer the one question you really want an answer to." She bargained. "But only one," Belle clarified.

"Why?" Bae asked intrigued by her offer. "Are you doing this just to get me and the old man talking?" He joked and then laughed as he caught his father rolling his eyes.

"You won't know unless you come home." Belle chuckled. She had picked up the knack of bargaining from Rumple. A bad habit? Possibly. But if it got Bae and Rumple talking, then Belle would use all her powers of persuasion to make it happen.

"No wonder you're a changed man," Bae commented to his father. Then to Belle he said, "Alright, dinner and one question."


End file.
